Global gender gap report one-sided: Men's rights group

A men's rights group Thursday said the World Economic Forum report on the global gender gap index was "one-sided and unscientific" and asked the Indian government to oppose it.

In the report, India was ranked low at 114 out of 142 countries for which the report was made.

"As usual, scarcely populated Scandinavian countries like Finland, Norway and Iceland with high per capita income ranked among the top," said Anil Kumar, founder member of the Save Indian Family Foundation (SIFF).

"The problem with the report is that it spreads misandry by blaming men for social issues that manifest due to poverty and bad governance, while completely ignoring various disadvantages that men face.

"This report openly acknowledges measuring gender gap only in one direction (for women) and it celebrates any gender inequalities suffered by men and boys. So, the report is openly one-sided and unscientific," he said in a statement.

Gender gap, he said, has to be measured in both directions for men and women.

SIFF president Rajesh Vakharia said: "What is the point in blaming men, when they already have more miserable lives than women with low life expectancy, much higher suicide rates? Three to four times more men compared to women die in accidents every year in India."

He said the Indian government must strongly oppose the publication of such one-sided, biased, unscientific reports that attempt to pit women and men against each other.